Chapter 44: Body of Sword and Bone

“So you’re saying… as long as we stay in the temple, we’re safe, but leaving its range means that thing will attack?”

I stealthily observed the eerie eyeball hovering above the underground ruins, patrolling like it owned the place, thinking to myself.

Nolan gave a firm reply:

“Yeah… pretty much.”

“So, we can’t leave until it’s dealt with?”

I made the judgment in my mind.

No doubt, the eyeball and I were enemies now—not just because of the evil god’s contract forcing me to hunt it, but it clearly wouldn’t let me go either.

No room for begging or compromise.

Kritiya’s body was healed now, so—that thing was mine to defeat.

Yes, seize a good chance to strike first.

Darryl’s dual swords leaned against the wall nearby.

I’d use them soon…

As I thought this, drawing magic from the evil god’s seed, I found the sinister thing in my heart oddly silent.

“What’s going on?”

I was startled.

This felt like before Kritiya was implanted with the evil god’s seed—I’d almost forgotten that sensation.

Freeing myself from the evil god’s contract was a long-term goal, but not now—not when I needed its power, only to lose my only crutch inexplicably.

No!

Calm down.

I snapped back, focusing my mind on my heart, checking its state.

A strange aura was entwining the evil god’s seed.

“It’s… digesting?”

I realized what was happening.

When I vied for the sacrificial power, I used the seed to channel it, so naturally, it absorbed the force.

Now, the seed was focused on digesting this aura, sinking into a temporary silence.

I felt uneasy, unsure what changes would come, but it seemed it’d take time.

Most crucially, I’d lost my power—now.

“Tiya… Tiya?”

Maybe I’d zoned out too long.

Nolan called out, concerned.

I blinked, turning to him.

“Say—the eyeball, the one up there, you saw it, right? It attacked you too, didn’t it? How did you block it?”

Yes, that level of mental attack—no ordinary person could withstand it.

I looked at Nolan, awaiting his explanation.

“Well… it’s like this. I was working, ran into that guy, and got chased here,” Nolan said, pointing to the corpse by the door.

“I had an enchanted dagger—work gear, you know. During the fight, the dagger broke, and suddenly, I felt a power surge in me.

I used it to take him down. After that, I found you. The eyeball made a creepy noise, my head ached a bit, then you passed out instantly, but I felt okay and carried you here.”

As expected—I thought.

Novel protagonists like Nolan, even in stories with lows before highs, always have hidden potential to tap.

This must be Nolan’s latent power from the novel—

People use magic or holy light to enchant weapons, not bodies, because materials like mithril or adamantine, and various magical substances, are far more malleable to magic than human flesh.

Mix a bit into gear, and it becomes a perfect magic conduit, letting casters work wonders.

Unlike temporary buffs needing constant casting, weapon enchantments can last decades, centuries, or even semi-permanently.

That’s why enchanted weapons are so costly.

But there’s an exception—Nolan, uniquely, can bear and adapt to enchantments meant for weapons, as if his body were a blade or sword.

His magic and physical training are average, with no Radiance or holy light talent, but this ability, plus combat skills honed over time, let him grow fast in the novel, facing top foes—

So, unnoticed, he’d already started down this path?

I thought, while Nolan, seeing I didn’t respond, glanced outside the temple, then back at me as I shifted.

“Tiya—I feel… you’ve got something to say?”

He caught my hesitation.

I paused, then said:

“So, that dagger—its enchantment, what was it?”

“Uh… they said it’s a calming magic trick,” Nolan replied, confused, but sensing the girl knew more than he did, he followed her lead.

“Nolan, tell me, when you faced the eyeball, it was just a slight headache, no hallucinations or voices?”

I considered, confirming again.

“No… I think?”

Nolan pondered, adding, “Yeah, definitely none.”

Exactly—calming magic, I thought.

The eyeball’s powers seemed limited to mental and willpower attacks, disrupting minds, creating illusions.

But Nolan, blessed with “calming magic,” resisted mental attacks—like fate’s design.

“Looks like… this thing’s up to you to handle,” I said, meeting Nolan’s puzzled gaze.

“Listen—you’re caught in my mess now. Maybe I should apologize, but it’s too late. Unless we destroy it, we’re stuck…”

“Okay, tell me what to do.”

My long pitch to convince Nolan barely started when his cheerful reply cut me off.

I froze.

“Hold on—you get the situation? Aren’t you curious? Getting dragged into danger out of nowhere? Being reckless could get you killed!”

“Is… that so?”

Nolan looked at me, spooked by the talk of death, his face thoughtful.

I waited quietly for his questions or response.

“But—Tiya, when you spoke, you sounded so reliable. I trust that’s right, yeah? Plus, we can’t leave without beating it—that’s obvious.”

Nolan grinned, showing his teeth.

Reliable… me?

I was stunned.

I always saw myself as a dependable adult, but this was the first time someone confirmed it.

My face burned.

“Even… if you say that…”

Are kids this gullible?

Blindly trusting like this?

What if he falls for some shady trick later?

But if that’s the case, I had to step up fully.

I steadied myself, saying:

“Fine, since you agreed, no backing out now—listen up, that flying eyeball is your job.”

“Got it… but it’s so high,” Nolan nodded, peering outside, then added doubtfully:

“With a slingshot, maybe I could hit it…”

“No slingshot needed… I’ve got a plan. But first, we’ve got prep to do.”

“So, kid—want to get stronger?”

My eyes blazed, glancing at Darryl’s dual swords by the wall, then at Nolan.